


Torn

by NeverComingHome



Category: Once Upon A Time - Fandom
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-04
Updated: 2013-04-03
Packaged: 2017-12-07 10:16:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/747371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeverComingHome/pseuds/NeverComingHome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The curse finally broken, Regina fears for her life as the citizens of Storybrooke/Fairy Tale Land begin to plot their revenge. The worst part is when Rumpelstiltskin gleefully tells Regina that she now has a choice to make regarding her relationship with Emma and the sudden re-emergence of Daniel." </p>
<p>Mentions: Regina/Daniel. Spoilers for the first season.</p>
<p>LJ Challenge fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She thinks he's a stranger at first, a shouting man with dark hair, running towards her. She freezes him mid stride, wondering what their side is playing at sending someone after her in broad daylight and alone no less. That is until she releases him and it's Daniel who rises to his feet, or at least someone with the face of Daniel.

 

"Show me your true form."

 

"This is it."

 

"Liar!"

 

He catches her wrist before she can slap him, smile open and serene, "I was lost in Limbo, the curse of having one's heart taken before its time. A voice told me to focus on my love for you and I ended up here. It's a miracle."

 

Or something else entirely.

 

[-]

 

Emma slams the door, frustrated after yet another failed conversation with Snow. She tried to explain how Regina had changed and was willing to make a bargain. There were some who preferred their Storybrooke lives, they could stay behind, tethered by Regina's counterspell. Snow refused to make peace however, too used to the queen's deceit. She insisted if left to her own devices Regina would backslide into old habits and nothing would convince her otherwise.

 

"She took everything from us, you can't trust her."

 

"No, but I can forgive her."

 

[-]

 

Day after day they fought the same argument, Emma unwilling to give up Regina's whereabouts and Snow unwilling to accept she meant them anything but harm. It would be easy to use their relationship as leverage, but the very idea of telling Prince Charming and Snow White she'd fallen for the evil queen while plotting the downfall of Rumpelstiltskin gave her a headache no amount of asprin could fix.

 

"-so how was your day?"

 

Regina locks her wrists behind Emma's neck and purrs, "I missed you" instead.

 

It's not a lie, merely a statement apropos of nothing, entirely true. Emma lets her worries drift to the back of her mind, losing herself in the kiss following Regina's words.

 

Which of course is when Daniel chooses to shout something about needing a tunic that didn't smell of death and walks in without a shirt, holding a half eaten apple. Regina breaks the embrace reflexively before he comes up behind her, placing too long of a kiss to the side of her head and smiling at Emma.

 

"I apologize for interrupting, you ladies, but I must borrow my fiance."

 

"Fiance?" She looks at Regina for some indication of this being a joke, but is met with silence.

 

"Yes, sorry, you are?"

 

"Nobody." She turns on her heel, muttering, "Obviously."

 

Daniel frowns, opening his mouth to ask a question but instead treated to the sight of Regina snapping out of it and jogging after the other woman without so much as a goodbye. He takes another bite of the apple, still deciding whether to go after them when lights flash from his pocket. Regina is in the middle of explaining herself when she recieves the same message.

 

_Choose Emma and Daniel goes back_

_Your move_

_R_

 


	2. Chapter 2

Rumple chuckled, "You asked me to bring back her first love, not 'true'." The cloaked figure advances but Rumple summons a flaming staff, "Eh eh, watch it."

 

A work of art if there ever was. Love brought him and only love could keep him. Rumple asks aloud how long that love would last once Daniel found out what had happened since his death not to mention Regina's reluctance to be near him having waited so long. He gave it a week before the young man's love ran out or...

 

"Or what?"

 

"Funny thing about dark magic," he sings, "it leaves its mark. How long was he lost in that plane? Enough time to develop a mean streak?"

 

"I only dealt with you to keep Emma and Regina apart."

 

"And they will be," Rumple waves his hand and the ghost of Daniel appears, reading the message. His eyes widen as he realizes the implications and the phone is crushed in his palm, "one way or another."

 

[-]

 

Emma's not sure what it means that Regina hasn't chosen. In some ways she understands it's complicated, but her heart screams it's not. If Regina was still the selfish big bad she had been she would've either sent Emma packing or allowed Daniel to return to Limbo for the rest of eternity. The fact that she hadn't meant she felt something for both of them, was taking into consideration the consequences of her actions. It was a good sign, but when she kicks a rock into a post it ricochets nearly back to her with the force of her frustration. Stupid spells and their stupid caveats and stupid Regina for not saying her first love hadn't been "sent away", but killed. It made the revenge story a little more easy to swallow, but all these months of coming to know, hate, understand and at last fall for her would mean little if Regina left with him at the end of the day.

 

Without being entirely aware Emma winds up on Snow's doorstep. Henry's voice carries through the window along with a sleepy voice asking if it's safe for a ten year old boy to be cooking with magic on his own. The statement's quickly followed by a crash and an indignified _My GOODNESS!_ which Emma takes as her cue.

 

Sleepy is yawning, covered in flour while Happy wheezes with laughter and Doc shakes his head at them, arms crossed, "The Savior, how appropriate. All yours."

 

"Not so fast, I need to talk to Mary-Snow. Have you seen her?"

 

"Out."

 

"Emma." James motions her up the stairs, ignoring Doc who is making a solid case for why babysitting is not in his job description.

 

[-]

 

Nothing. Regina sets aside yet another of her old spellbooks. It was Rumple, loopholes were his speciality and he'd made sure there were none for her to fiind. If she wiped Daniel's memory he wouldn't remember his love and would be sent back. If she chose him over Emma, she'd be choosing him over Emma and if she chose Emma over him he'd be sent back forever. It was hard to let go of the first option entirely despite her best efforts. A kiss would signify a decision, but it felt right being in his arms again. It was everything she'd prayed for since that day.

 

After Emma stormed off she'd returned to find him exploring the house (hidden in the woods and invisible to any she called her enemy) asking politely if she'd join him for a ride for old time's sake. They raced through the wood, her cheek on his back like it hadn't been decades since. Yet when he helped her dismount and made to kiss her she gave him her cheek.

 

"It's complicated."

 

"Uncomplicate it. You love me?"

 

"Of course," she touched his cheek, "I never stopped."

 

"And her?"

 

"I care about Emma very much."

 

"How much?"

 

Which was when something very not Daniel slipped into his voice, an edge she'd never before heard; the very tone Regina had taken when asking Snow if she'd told her mother their secret.

 

"Enough to need more time."

 


	3. Chapter 3

On the fifth night Regina has gone without seeing Emma she puts on the face of a crone and watches Snow's house from a distance. The others have taken up lodgings in her mansion, but the miners and the Charmings spent their nights here.

 

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Red says to herself and Regina. She would always side with good, but Emma had a point: even with the presence of magic she had no need for her hood in this world. "They've gone to drop off Henry and materials, be quick."

 

Emma is in the kitchen, going through what Regina can only guess is supposed to be food. She's tired and not paying attention, gingerly tasting something and sticking her tongue out at it before emptying it into the disposal.

 

"That's too much, you're going to break it."

 

Emma stares at the sink, "What are you doing here?"

 

Regina doesn't answer, turning Emma around and asking, no, telling her to come home.

 

"This is my home as long as he's there."

 

"I am doing my best. I told him everything and he's still in love with me."

 

"Congratulations."

 

Regina can tell Emma is going for blank, dispassionate, flippant when she wishes them all the happiness in the world, but her clenched fists give her away. Regina starts in on all the resources she's exhausted looking for a solution, but in minutes it becomes an argument. Emma doesn't care how put upon Regina feels anymore; she was decieving the only family she had, spending every waking moment keeping Snow's army at bay while at the same time trying to find Rumple in the maze he'd created to hide in with his own followers and keeping it all confined within Storybrooke for the safety of others.

 

"And now I can't kiss the woman I love because she's only thinking about the man she loves."

 

Which leads to Regina nearly shouting because for once in ages she's trying to do the right thing and it's not her fault she never got a chance to say goodbye to him. As if summoned by the unspoken accusation Red kicks the door with the back of her boot and the window brightens with the headlights of James's truck. Regina vanishes in a circle of purple smoke that doesn't fade quickly enough. Snow drops the suitcase of arrows, shrugging off her husbands touch as she advances towards Emma.

 

"Consider yourself grounded."

 

[-]

 

Locked in a (clock) tower. Daniel can't help but chuckle when Regina comes back, mirrors cracking as she passes them, her voice high pitched and bordering on hysteric when she describes the ambush she'd escaped. Guards all around it, and a troll who sounded the alarm when she tried to break in. But it wasn't for naught. The sight of him made her remember a deal she'd once made. In exchange for lifelong servitude she'd gone into a troll's past and stolen the belongings of a man who would use them to barter for a potion which enslaved the troll's mate. Emma could do the same thing for Daniel's heart, go into her memories bring back the dust which Regina would reform.

 

"Then we can be together, at long last." Before she could respond he sweeps her into his arms with a grin, kissing her forehead. She places her hand on his chest, gracefully separating them.

 

"I'm sorry. If you want I can give you a new memory or a new life or both, but we had our chance." She takes a sobering breath, "You fell in love with someone I'm not anymore and we will always have the past, but Emma and Henry are my future now."

 

_Hard to have a future with someone who doesn't exist._

 

Daniel's gaze is unfocused as if listening to something or someone. When he leans forward Regina thinks he's going in for another kiss and turns her head, allowing him to snatch the materials for the spell, "We'll see about that."

 

[-]

 

He paces in front of the large square hedge Rumple is seated upon.

 

"I want Regina to never lay eyes on that..girl again."

 

"Popular request." He walks down a staircase which grows beneath his feet with each step, "I like you, you're an upstanding sort of gentleman so I'll make you deal eh? Regina is going to send the savior into the past after she's made another potion. I want you to 'borrow' something for me. A silver crown with black jewels, don't worry what it's for."

 

"How will it keep them apart?"

 

"Once you have the crown you will be brought back. Whatever happens between you and the girl before then is between you and the girl."

 

He shakes his head, "I still don't-" between them a boulder rises from the earth, a sword sticking out of it.

 

"Use your imagination."

 

[-]

 

All James wanted was for them to be a family again; for Snow to be happy at his side along with their daughter and grandson. Was it so ridiculous for him to want the fighting to end at long last? If Emma was right and Regina had changed they were wasting time planning an attack on the wrong enemy. Emma needed to allow Regina and Daniel their life together. Once she did the feud would end he knew it and Emma would find someone else to love. When the morning light betrays an empty room he dons his cloak and heads to the maze, tracing PC into the outer wall and entering. Rumple tells him with devilish glee the power keeping them apart was doubled by another's request. Daniel's madness was fueled by the same magic Rumple had worked for Charming, enhancing his strength to better carry out the wishes of two.

 

"Where are they now? Tell me!"

 

"In a land," he whispers, "far far away."

 

James hears his laughter long after he's ran from the maze.


	4. Chapter 4

Emma watches it happen, blood thudding through her veins as she struggles to keep from rushing forward and giving Cora a piece of her mind and the better part of her fist. Regina had appeared to her in the reflection of a cup however and stressed how any significant changes would throw Emma in a constant loop of her actions, trapped in the same week forever. It's a strong incentive to remain calm, but Emma quietly takes down Cora in her head while the final scene plays out. When the stables are empty and the wind begins to pick up she hurries forward with the canteen, securing the lid and putting it in her satchel once she's scooped the ashes in. Afterward she brings the hood over her head and starts in the direction of the forest to wait out the end of the spell.

 

Barely a few minutes out she bumps into Daniel.

 

"You're supposed to be dead."

 

The sword cuts the satchel with god like precision from her shoulder, exposing her skin in the process, "So are you."

 

[-]

 

James finds her standing in the driveway, but when he tries to grab her he's flung backward. Regina frowns, stepping out of the protective triangle of salt and holding out a hand which he hesitates to accept.

 

"If you meant me harm you wouldn't have found me. Why are you here?"

 

He confesses everything, how he thought it would be safe since Rumple asked for nothing in return and the cryptic message concerning Daniel. They fill in the gaps of eachother's knowledge, righteously furious but calling a truce if only to save Emma. Regina would have dismissed the idea of Daniel hurting anyone no matter the reason but Rumples power over him was strong and who knew what advantage he'd been given while Emma left only with a gun (useless in that world) and a sword.

 

"How do we help her?"

 

"I know one way, but it's risky and I demand the truce holds if she returns safely."

 

James nods without pause, "Tell me what you need."

 

"Your wife."

 

[-]

 

The high grass does nothing to cushion her fall. Daniel stabs and she scrambles backward and onto her feet. She lunges, misses again and Daniel's sword hisses through the air. She deflects it, pushes forward until he's backed against a tree scowling at her over the blade.

 

"I don't know what the hell your problem is guy, but newsflash I'm saving your life."

 

Emma knows this isn't the real Daniel. The real Daniel was the man whose heart had been ripped out, willing to give up on love for the sake of Regina's happiness and not angering her mother. It hadn't felt great watching Regina kiss someone else, but she'd hate to think what kind of woman Regina might've become had she not met him. The love he felt for her was real, nothing like the man who butts his head into hers and kicks her away. There was no chance he was possible of such strength on his own unless the sword was...

 

She closes her eyes and lets him punch her, feigning a black out. She listens to him approach, waits for the sound of the sword being placed into the scabbard laying flat on his back so he can lean over her with a switch blade. The knife is cold beneath her chin.

 

"Goodbye Emma Swan."

 

She opens her eyes, grabs the butt of the weapon sticking out from over his shoulder and finds the echanted sword as light as she guessed. He grabs at her wrist but responding to its owner's wishes it careens off with Emma attached to it, tugging her out from beneath him.

 

[-]

 

Snow joins hands with Regina, expecting the full story once the ritual is complete. This is their last hope: pray Emma had the ashes of Daniels heart, summon it, work the magic, send it back, and hope she knew what to do. Regina hadn't thought to tell her how, having expected Daniel to turn up long before she'd left. When the satchel appears between them the strap is cut with a large shoe print across it as if trampled on. They quickly pour out the ashes, words overlapping as each speck rises, glows and comes together before caving in on itself. Snow takes a seat in a chair with eyes fixed on the clock, nothing left to do but wait. 

 

[-]

 

There is nothing the world quite like arguing with a homocidal ghost ex while trying to control a weapon with a mind of its own. When the heart lands on the edge of the sword she nearly throws up her hands and walks away from it all. How was it supposed to work? Did she pin him to the ground and try to push it through his rib-cage? Say "Abracadabra" and hope for the best? She settles for her usual response when given something she doesn't want: she drops the sword, throws the heart at his head and crosses her fingers. He catches it, gasping when it sinks into his palm and his skin reddens then pales

 

"What have I done?"

 

"Don't worry, hey," she rushes forward to keep him from falling, "you're safe."

 

"I'm sorry," he winces the pain of the blows returning as the dark magic's strength leaves him, "I never meant for any of this."

 

"Daniel."

 

"The stranger who sent me here. He wanted this." Careful not to touch it with his bare hands Daniel takes out the crown and reaches for the sword

 

"NO! If you break it you'll be stuck here."

 

He steps away from Emma to look at the stables and the window where he'd caught his first glance of Regina, "The last few days I was alive were my happiest." With that he splits the crown in two and Emma feels the end of the spell coming, "Take care of her."

 

[-]

 

Torn shirt, bruise covered arms, tears on her cheek and Excalibur hugged to her chest, but Regina doesn't care, placing a long overdue kiss on Emma's mouth, whispers exchanged between breaths. James nudges Snow who is frozen with shock and confusion. She closes her mouth then looks at him,

 

"I'm missing something, aren't I?"

 

He places his arm around her shoulders, turning them away from the still preoccupied women, "It's a long story."


End file.
